


Burn

by thenakednymph



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: : I will not be convinced that the mark on Keith's cheek, And all of the hugs, I have a lot of feelings about this and them, Lance deserves all the validation, M/M, ffs let them hug!, is anything less than a scar caused by a plasma burn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-22
Updated: 2018-10-22
Packaged: 2019-08-05 23:02:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,715
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16376699
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thenakednymph/pseuds/thenakednymph
Summary: Before setting out on their mission for Earth Lance takes Keith aside to tend to his burn. Feelings happen and some truths come out.





	Burn

**Author's Note:**

> This has been sitting in my drafts for ages. 
> 
> Set after season 6 and blatantly ignoring everything that happened in season 7.

* * *

Once it's been declared they're heading for Earth the paladins split off to make sure their cargo is properly stored and do some last minute checks. Allura and Coran converge on Shiro, doing what they can to make sure he's stable before moving him. 

Lance approaches Keith who's watching them like a hawk. “Come on.” He gestures loosely at him but Keith looks disinclined to move from his post. Lance is undeterred but doesn't step closer. 

“Let me take a look at that.” He points at his own cheek where Keith is sporting his new burn. “Looks like it hurts.” His voice is soft, tender, suggesting instead of an order. He knows Keith doesn't respond well to those. Or he didn't use to. If Keith is to be believed two years have passed. Lance doesn't know what might have changed in that time. If maybe  _ they’ve  _ changed. 

Keith works his jaw for a moment, stretching his cheek and playing with the pain, ready to say it's not bothering him when Lance cuts in. “They're gonna take care of him,” he coaxes, creeping a half step closer. “Let me help you.” 

Keith’s eyes flick up to meet Lance's and he stares for a moment before he finally caves, uncrossing his arms with a sigh. He steps around Shiro's body and follows Lance, looking over his shoulder at his brother one more time. Lance for his part makes sure he's always at least an arms length away from Keith as he leads them to Blue. He knows it's obvious he's putting distance between them but he can't help it. 

This Keith is so different from the one that left them. This Keith is self-assured in a way Lance would kill for. He's changed in all that time and part of Lance is scared. He barely knew Keith before, but he liked to think they were making progress, that were maybe even friends before everything fell apart and Keith left with the Blade. He wonders if he knows him at all now. He finds himself stealing glances at Keith from the corner of his eye.

It's a thought Lance isn't comfortable with and it makes him twist his fingers together anxiously as they make their way to Lance's former lion. His heart is racing and he can't seem to slow it down.

Blue purrs in welcome as they approach, her mind brushing up against Lance's and drawing a smile from him at the familiarity of her. He'd be lying if he said he didn't miss her.

She wraps around him like a cat weaving between his ankles, her mind pushing at his anxiety in silent question. Her eyes glow and she lowers her head, extending her ramp and Lance smiles. He sends a wave of gratitude and reassurance back at her. Red lingers in the corners of his mind, a little jealous at the attention but Lance assures her she's still his girl too. 

He knows he's making faces at the conversations in his mind, little noises slipping past his lips but he can't help it.They’re both his girls, no matter which of them he gets to pilot and he loves talking with them. But right now what he needs is in Blue's cockpit.

“If you're going to get the emergency kit I can just get it out of Black,” Keith says and Lance jumps, spinning around as Keith gestures over his shoulder to the lion in question. He's fallen a few paces behind, something desperate lodging in his throat. 

It takes Lance a minute to catch up, his mind still reeling from the unspoken conversation he'd been having with the two lions. When he does he relaxes his posture, shifting his weight to one hip and tilting his head to the side, desperately reaching for the familiar charade.

“Could,” Lance says and his tone is flippant, forcibly light as his heart pounds, swear slicking his palms. He doesn't know what else to do so he falls back on the comfortable bickering they'd once had and hopes it's enough.

He keeps his eyes on Keith, walking backwards to the ramp, a coy smile on his face, hands tucked behind his back as he leans in Keith's direction. “But I've got half the medical bay in Blue.” He spins back around and heads up the ramp, patting one of the walls affectionately as he goes. “

Hush,” he whispers, brushing aside Blue's press of questions at his distress. “I'm fine.” She knows it's a lie but settles anyway. He gives her one last pat on his way up before squeezing through an assortment of boxes and crates, dancing around them like it's easy, leaving Keith to watch the exchange quietly. Then he notices the clutter and frowns, stumbling to a disapproving stop.

“Jesus Lance, you got enough shit in here?” he scolds. Something like a smile tugs at Lance's mouth but it's sour and he fumbles through one of the crates, his back to Keith, hiding it. He gestures blindly for him to sit down. 

“Half of it's Allura’s,” he says pulling out a container with a green goo that looks like the radioactive cousin of aloe, holding it up to the light to assess it, and a small handheld device. 

Keith squeezes through what barely passes as a walkway and flops down on one of the crates with none of Lance's grace. “The other half is mostly medical supplies,” Lance goes on absently. Keith frowns as Lance steps over a box, sitting across from him, their knees bumping in the small space.

He shoves a box over with an elbow, making more room. It doesn't do much to help.

“So where's your stuff?” Keith asks suspiciously, still looking around.

Lance shrugs, opening the container and taking out a small amount of the goo with a little metal spatula, avoiding Keith's eyes. “I've got a box stashed in Red,” he says quietly as if all their time in space has amounted to little more than a single box.

“Just the one?” he asks and Lance was really hoping he wouldn't. There's something unreadable in his tone.

Lance carefully smooths the goo over Keith's burn with a swab and when Keith flinches he stops, hand hovering in the air. His eyes flick up to Keith's but he doesn't ask, just waits for Keith to nod before continuing. The fingers of his other hand press gently to the underside of Keith's chin, holding him steady.

It feels strangely intimate and Lance isn't sure what to make of it. So he does what he always does when he's uncomfortable, he fills the silence.

“Didn't seem fair to bring anything when Allura's entire life was aboard that ship,” he says. “Everything that's left of her family, her people, was on that castle. I've only been there a year.” He rolls the swab gently, evenly distributing the goo over the burn and watches as the red inflammation begins to recede. The edges of the burn are clean and sharp, the blisters too damn familiar for him not to know what caused them and his chest squeezes painfully. “I didn't have much to bring anyway.” It's a lie and they both know it. But it's too late now, it's already gone. 

Keith doesn't know what to make of that. Somehow he wasn't expecting Lance to be that thoughtful; or that selfless. He hadn't expected a lot of things. 

“If we'd been able to stick a healing pod in here I would have.” Lance grins, looking around, but it feels hollow, like if Keith pressed hard enough the shell of it would crack and cave in on itself. He doesn't know what to say so he presses a hand to Lance's knee which just seems to make him uncomfortable. 

Lance stands, jerking away from the touch and caps the gel, crossing the small space to put it away. His hands tremble on the containers lid and he takes a breath, forcing his hands to still. He forces himself to turn and smiles, sitting back down, his posture tense. 

His fingers are gentle as they return to Keith's chin, holding him steady. The small device he brought over earlier glows blue in his fingers when he picks it up, whirring to life. 

“You sure you know how to use that?” Keith asks, leaning away as Lance brings it up to his face. 

“Yes, I'm sure,” Lance laughs and this time it's real. “Now hold still.” He catches his tongue between his teeth as he works, brows drawn in focus. The little device emits a low hum, a small line of light crossing Keith's burn and activating the gel which begins to itch.

Lance's hands are steady as he works, the little line of light never wavering and he applauds himself. 

“I've been spending a lot of time with Coran in the medbay lately,” he says by way of explanation. “He's been teaching me to use most of the equipment there. Not that I can read any of it.” He frowns, clearly frustrated. “Still can't pick up Altean. It's easier to speak than it is to read or write.”

“Why?” 

Lance pouts as Keith speaks, the movement distorting his face and the burn Lance is trying to heal. 

“It's a complicated language,” Lance defends. “Especially when I don't have time to study the letters. Hell I thought English was hard-”

“No,” Keith swats the device away so he can look at Lance properly. “Why are you bothering to learn to use the technology if we have Coran and Allura to use it?” He frowns, his face twisting as if a thought has just struck him. “How many languages do you speak?”

Lance tutts in disapproval, adjusting the angle of Keith's face, tilting his head to one side so he can get back to work, ignoring the way Keith glares at him for the manhandling.

“Because I like spending time with Coran.” He says it like it's obvious and maybe to anyone other than Keith it is, but he's never been very good with people. “And because there's not much else to do.” He shrugs one shoulder but there's a shadow over his face like he isn't telling the whole truth; it's gone a moment later, Lance covering it with a smile. 

“Plus I figured it might be useful considering we fly a giant space robot and routinely get beat to hell and back. We could all probably do to learn what this stuff does.” He waggles the device in question. “Especially now that we don't have a pod.” Worry creases his face and he lowers his voice, glancing at the extended ramp as if afraid the others will hear.

“I don’t know what we're going to do if someone breaks a bone on the flight back or sustains an internal injury…” Lance worries his lip and Keith is surprised he's been thinking about it. The thought hadn't even occurred to him. He wonders if it's occurred to any of the others. He finds himself staring down at the ramp too.

“You think we need to know how to use the Altean technology in case we lose Coran or Allura.”

Lance pales at the words and ducks his head as if somehow that will hide all his fear and doubt. He flushes in embarrassment.

“Is that terrible?” he whispers, eyebrows knitting, glancing up at Keith. “To be thinking like that? To be planning for it?”

Keith stares at him in surprise. “No, it's  _ wise _ . I should have thought of that.” He tugs at his lip thoughtfully. “That's...Jesus, Lance that's a really good idea.”

Lance doesn't seem pleased at the praise. “It's a good thing that I'm making contingency plans for the loss of one or more of my friends?”

Keith works up the courage to put his hand on Lance's knee again. This time he doesn't pull away.

“Yeah, it is.” His voice is soft as Lance fiddles with the device in his hands. “I know it sucks, but it's necessary. If you hadn't thought of this we could really wind up in a bind should we lose Coran and Allura.”

“Still doesn't feel good,” Lance mutters and Keith nods. 

“I know.” He squeezes Lance's knee and sits back. 

Taking a deep breath Lance gets back to work.

Keith holds still as Lance finishes drawing the line of light down over the burn. The activated gel begins to stitch the damaged skin together, reducing the swelling and the redness and to Keith's relief, the throbbing pain. 

When he's done Lance sits back, carefully turning Keith's head in the light to examine the burn. It's going to scar.

“And three actually,” he says. Keith stares at Lance in confusion. “Languages,” he clarifies. “I speak three.”

“Three?” Keith’s voice pitches in surprise. “I didn't- I didn't know that.” He frowns, lost in thought for a moment.

Lance offers a half-hearted smile. “I'm secretly an enigma,” he teases with a wink and Keith can't help but agree with him. He must say it out loud because Lance flushes and looks away. That or Lance can read it on his face. Keith knows he should stop staring but he can't. There's a lot more to Lance than meets the eye.

Lance examines the scar one last time and hums appreciatively before nodding firmly and standing, returning the device to its proper place. 

He stares around at all the crates, hands resting thoughtfully against the one he's just shut, the deep furrow back between his brows. Keith hadn't realized it had become a semi-permanent fixture in Lance's face since he returned. 

“Let's just hope we don't get into any kind of a fight on the way back or all this shit is going to start flying around,” Lance mutters, talking more to himself than to Keith. “There's no way to anchor it-” 

“Lance.” Keith cuts him off and Lance freezes, shooting him a glance over his shoulder, eyes wide. “Sit down.” 

To his surprise Lance scowls at him, crossing his arms over his chest and leaning stubbornly against the crates.

“Do not use Shiro's dad voice on me,” he scolds and Keith's eyebrows lift.

“I do that?” he asks.

“Yeah, you do.” Lance shifts his weight against the boxes, making no move to return to his seat but at least he isn't running away. Keith considers it a win.

Keith watches him, something searching in his gaze Lance doesn't like and he has to hush Blue as she presses against his mind again, curious as to his distress. He flicks her a look and makes a soft hushing sound, idly reaching out a hand and bumping his  knuckles against one of the walls.

“Is Blue okay?” Keith asks, changing the subject as he catches Lance talking to her for a second time. 

Lance flushes and snatches his hand back, using it to rub at the back of his neck. 

“Yeah, she uh-” He scrambles for a half-truth, his heart racing. He doesn't know why the question makes him nervous. He talks to her all the time but he doesn't want to tell Keith about all the things running through his head, his fear of all the ways things could go wrong, how much he missed Keith... he settles for the next closest thing. 

“She wanted me to thank you.” He spits it out before he can second guess himself. “And I haven't done it yet.” She makes a noise of disapproval in his head that Lance ignores because she does want him to thank Keith, has been bugging him about it for months, but it's not what she wants now. She can sense Lance's distress and doesn't know how to help. She butts against him stubbornly.

Keith is looking at him in surprise and Lance shakes off Blue's mind, sending her a thought of reassurance and an apology as he does. 

“Thank me?” Keith asks, as he blinks in surprise. “For what?”

Lance ducks his head and scuffs at the floor with a boot and muttering. “For bringing me to her.” He glances up at Keith through his bangs and Keith notices for the first time how long Lance's hair has gotten. 

“I never would have found her without you.” He flushes, something mean flickering across his face before he ducks his head, hiding it. “And for bringing her back when I lost her.” The whisper is pained and Keith knows he's thinking about the Nyma incident. He didn't realize Lance still thought about that. 

“I know it's a little late,” he rubs at the back of his neck, “okay it's a lot late but-”

“You're welcome,” Keith interrupts before Lance can continue with the self-deprecation and how long has that been a thing?

Lance chews on the inside of his cheek and nods, staring down the ramp like he wants to run. 

Keith stands slowly, afraid Lance really will run if he moves too quickly and he doesn't want him to. He touches a hand to his cheek, poking the newly forming scar. He can feel the burn, still stretched tight across his skin but the pain is gone.

“Do you really…” he starts and then frowns, forcing himself to meet Lance's gaze, his hand dropping. “Are you really not going to ask how I got it?”

Lance for once holds his gaze, his expression unreadable. “Do you want to talk about it?” he asks and Keith shakes his head.

“No.” It's not aggressive or abrupt, just honest. Keith doesn't want to talk about it and Lance nods like he understands. Maybe he does. Maybe Keith hasn't been giving him enough credit for that either. It sits like a weight in his heart.

“Then no, I'm not going to ask about it.” He turns around and fusses with the latches on one of the containers for something to do with his hands, unable to hold Keith's gaze any longer.

“Thank you,” Keith says, gesturing to the wound even with Lance's back turned. “For taking care of this.” 

Lance nods, curling into himself as Keith approaches, listening to the sound of his footfalls from behind. Keith doesn't put himself between Lance and the ramp, giving him the option to run if he wants it, but he stands closer than Lance thinks is strictly necessary. He imagines he can feel the heat radiating off of him against his back but knows it's all in his head.

“Are you okay?” The words are soft and Lance shudders, hands tight on the container, because no, he's not okay. He hasn't been okay for months and months and it just got worse when Keith left, isn't much better now that he's back, but he doesn't know how to tell him that.

It takes Lance a moment to conjure a blinding smile, shoulders loosening as he drops his arms and turns to face Keith. He watches it happen but Keith can barely rationalize the sudden shift in his demeanor,how smooth and flawless it is.

Keith wonders how many times Lance has done that, hiding whatever he's been going through behind a smile and a dramatic gesture, how many times he hasn't noticed. 

The seams in Lance's disguise are nearly flawless, the tension around his eyes and that furrow between his brows the only thing giving him away.

He lifts a shoulder casually. “Yeah, you know, we just had the only home we've known for the past year destroyed,” he says and the smile turns brittle, tension rising in his shoulders. “You come back after two years, swan off after Shiro and come back with a nasty burn.” He starts ticking items off on his fingers, the shields he's erected around himself beginning to crack. 

“Shiro's missing his arm and his hair is now all white, only to find out he's actually a clone and the real Shiro's essence has been trapped inside the Black lion all this time. A fact I was too stupid to pick up on when he tried to tell me by the way.” Lance's expression has devolved into a full on scowl and he's gesturing angrily. 

“Allura’s somehow managed to transport said essence into the body of a clone we don't know that will accept it so he could totally still die, and we're now stranded thousands of light years away from Earth with no idea what's been going on for over a year and no way to get back. Why wouldn't I be fine?” His voice is rising as he speaks, his gestures opening and becoming more erratic, hands settling briefly on his hips but never coming to rest.

Lance's eyes are wild with panic.

“You do remember the reason we left was because of the Galra ship encroaching on Earth right? That they'd already started creeping into the Sol system before that?” Keith's mind flashes unwilling to Shiro leaving for the Kerberos mission. “For all we know in the time we've been gone Earth has been destroyed or overrun by the Galra and everyone I know and love is dead.”

As he makes a last sweeping gesture with a hand, Keith slips under it, sliding his arms around Lance and hugging him tightly. 

Lance's chest shudders against his and his hands tremble, breath coming in ragged gasps. He hadn't meant to say all that. It's just that no one has bothered to ask. And Keith has an infuriating way of wringing the truth from him. 

“It's going to be okay,” Keith promises and Lance shudders again, a small noise in his throat. Keith tucks his head slightly, holding Lance tighter and finally Lance's arms come to rest around him, folding himself into the brace like he's desperate for it. He hears Lance begin to cry, pressing his face into Keith's shoulder to hide it.

“I'm so scared,” he breathes, voice soft enough Keith thinks he imagined it.

Lance's knees go weak and he sinks into  Keith, into the terror of the past forty-eight hours or however long it's been since all this started. It's all a blur of adrenaline and fear and he's still coming down. 

He didn't realize how badly he needed a hug until that moment and he sinks into Keith like his arms are the only thing keeping him together, like the pressure against his ribs in the only thing allowing him to finally breathe.

Keith holds him up and lets him cry as Lance's heart twists, wringing a painful truth from him, the words unsticking from between his ribs where they've been sitting like a knife. 

“I fucking missed you,” Lance rasps into Keith's neck, his breathing jagged. “I don't know how you ever thought we could do this without you.” 

Keith tightens his grip and runs a hand over Lance's back wishing he wasn't in his paladin armor. 

“You look like you did alright.” He means the words to be comforting but Lance goes rigid against him.

Lance pulls back, swiping angrily at his cheeks, his face flushed. Keith’s hands drop to his waist but don't fall away. “

You have no idea,” Lance snaps and his eyes are angry. “We fell apart man. We can't do this without you,  _ I _ can't do this without you.” His eyes are searching and so very blue. 

“It was like everyone tiptoed around the castle for months and even knowing you were gone I kept  _ looking _ for you.” He clenches his jaw and looks away, hands curling into fists and he wants to hit something. “Like at any minute you'd come walking around the corner.” A muscle in his jaw flexes. “But you never did.”

“I don't regret leaving,” Keith says softly and Lance is reminded of the amazing woman waiting for them outside and though he's hurting, his heart swells with joy. The smile that breaks across his face is the first real one Keith has seen since Lance came up on the viewscreen in the castle.

It's watery and weak but it's sincere and Lance means it when he says, “I'm so happy for you.” His body slackens under Keith's  hands, his fists slowly uncurling. “ I'm really, really glad you found her.” He wipes at his eyes again but he can't seem to stop crying. “At least this war has finally given something back and that it gave it back to you. You deserve that.” His hand falls and lands on the crook of Keith's elbow where he's still holding Lance in a loose embrace. He swallows thickly. “I'm just sorry it took so long.”

Keith frowns, his thumbs running idle circles against Lance's side. 

“That what took so long?” He's having trouble focusing past the feel of Lance in his arms, the color of his eyes.

Lance tilts his head slightly, like he's surprised Keith doesn't understand. “For you to get the childhood back that you deserved.” Lance sighs, wiping at his face and Keith feels like all the air had been punched out of him. 

“Were you always this selfless?” he breathes. He doesn't know if he thinks it or says it but Lance ignores the comment.

“I'm really glad that you got to spend two years together, getting to know her; that's amazing and you deserve that.” His smile is watery and a little hurt and Keith wants to wipe away his tears but doesn't have the courage.

Lance chews his lip and Keith knows there's more he wants to say. Lance's thumb rubs small circles inside Keith’s elbow and it's terribly distracting. 

“But I still feel like that's two years I lost out on,” Lance whispers and Keith feels every word like a physical blow. “I can't help feeling bitter about that,” Lance goes on. “I mean look at you.” He steps out of the embrace and gestures to Keith who shifts awkwardly under the scrutiny. 

“Two years man.” He runs a frustrated hand through his hair. “I know time didn't pass the same for us but damn. I missed out on that.” He blushes and looks away, crossing his arms over his chest, body language closing off and Keith barely resists the urge to pull him back into his arms.

“I'm glad I left,” Keith says again, a smile crossing his face as he thinks about his mother, “I shouldn't have, but it was for a good reason.” He searches Lance's eyes. “It was a stupid decision that I thought was right at the time.”

“And now?”

“Still a stupid decision, still glad I left.” He swallowed thickly. “Sorry that it hurt you.” He reaches for Lance, his fingers brushing against his arm and offers Lance a smile that's half apology. Lance's eyes flick over to meet his when Keith lightly ducks his head. “And I missed you too.” 

Lance's heart skips.

“Oi!” Whatever’s building between them shatters. “Did you guys get lost in there?” Pidge shouts up into Blue's cockpit and Lance jumps, physically falling back into the crates. Keith laughs, long and loud and it makes Lance's heart trip over, soothing g the bruises to both his ego and his body. He gapes up at Keith in awe as he reaches out, pulling him upright, eyes still smiling. Lance's skin burns under the touch, heart still dancing in his chest.

“Shut up Pidge.” His voice is high and tight. He disentangles himself from Keith once he has his feet under him again. His heart feels lighter than it has in months and he heads down the ramp, still wiping at his red eyes. 

“Lance,” Keith calls after him and he stops, turning to look up at him. Keith’s expression is laced with concern. “You good?”

Lance shakes his head, a smile on his lips, “No,” he says as the smile reaches his eyes, “but I will be.” He hesitates for a minute before screwing up his courage.

“I'm really glad you came back.”

Keith nods and offers him a small smile,heading down the ramp to meet him. “Me too.”  His knuckles knock against Lance's as he passes him to go see what it is Pidge wants. 

Lance is grateful that while some things may have changed and their rhythm may be different now that Keith is back, at least  they're in sync again. Maybe some change is for the better.


End file.
